Eleanor Roosevelt probably told her to say it.
I'm no fan of Hillary, but if there was an attempt by her to reusurrect the Bush/drunkard smear, the article does a poor job of reporting it.
Posted on 07/30/2002 12:07:12 PM PDT by Paul Atreides
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton attacked President Bush yesterday using an anecdote about hard-drinking President Ulysses S. Grant, in an episode that left some suspecting the reference was a not so subtle dig at Bush's own past drinking problem.
Delivering the keynote speech at a forum for presidential candidates before the Democratic Leadership Council in New York City, Clinton complained about Bush's recent criticism that the prosperity of the 1990's was "a binge" that had left America with "a hangover."
The former first lady responded:
"I am reminded of what Abraham Lincoln once said, when his commanders complained about Ulysses S. Grant's binges. 'Find out,' he said, 'what brand of whiskey Grant drinks because I'm going to send a barrel to each of my generals.'"
"Clearly Hillary Clinton has picked up on [Bush's binge reference]," observed WABC Radio's Paul Alexander late Monday, after guest Craig Crawford, who publishes The Hotline and who attended the DLC conference, related Clinton's Grant anecdote.
"Could the former first lady be suggesting that the current president is drinking?" speculated the radio host, who also doubles as lead political reporter for Rolling Stone Magazine.
"She's at least saying he wasn't sober in the past," Crawford added.
"Bringing Grant in, there are meanings here," interjected Alexander's radio partner, John Batchelor. "For a Democratic first lady to tell a Grant story is alarming to me."
"Clearly [the Clintons] are going to use the binge-hangover metaphor here," observed Alexander. "That's what they're going to do."
"She had a good time with it today," confirmed Crawford.
No. She's saying that the guy who was president for most of the 90s (Clinton) was better than the one who's complaining about the 90s (Bush)
Are all reporters completely stupid?
In other words, Hillary said Bush is doing a good job -- as Grant did -- and that, therefore, everyone else should be drinking the same thing he is!!!!! Astonishing! Hillary compliments Bush!
But her day surely will come, and none of us will have to lift a finger to bring it about.....
I agree. It sounds like it must have been a very slow day in the news. Talking heads trying to create news that didn't exist on its own.
Eleanor Roosevelt probably told her to say it.
I'm no fan of Hillary, but if there was an attempt by her to reusurrect the Bush/drunkard smear, the article does a poor job of reporting it.
Bush brought up "binge" and "hangover," not Hillary.
Her response (which I'm sure she didn't write) was clever, even if totally inaccurate.
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